Afterglow
by jareaufan
Summary: Wyatt, Chris and their sister Melinda are all normal people, but with huge secrets, they are witches! They get along pretty well, but a secret that Mel's been keeping can endanger all of their lives. PEN NAME FORMERLY TheSecondStake
1. Getting to Know Them

**This is another Second Gen. story I've been brewing up. It is in no way connected to "Charmed: Second Generation," don't even think about it being connected, because it's not and it will just confuse you. :) Also, I know I added a few extra years between Mel and Chris. (Just to clear that up.)**

**Full Summary: **Wyatt, Chris and their younger sister Melinda are all normal people, but with huge secrets; they are witches with magical powers; Wyatt and Chris children of their witch mother Piper and her whitelighter/elder husband Leo, Mel having been born after Leo lost his "wings." Their parents Leo & Piper, wanted to move out to a smaller house. Leo and Piper signed the house over to their sons allowing them to stay as they were of legal age; Melinda argued that they shouldn't break up "The Power of Three," the powerful group of witches known as "The Charmed Ones" that Wyatt, Chris and she make up. Piper understood, having been a part of the original "Power of Three" with her own sisters, she and Leo allowed for Mel to stay with her brothers her unofficial guardians.

Now, it's about six months later, each sibling getting along, fighting demons and living life. But one secret that Mel's been keeping from her brothers might just endanger not only her life, but someone else's as well, whether or not she chooses to divulge it.

"**Getting to Know Them" (Default Chapter)**

**Stats**

**Wyatt Matthew Halliwell**

**Age: **24

**Powers:** Orbing, force field generation, molecular combustion (blowing stuff up), temporal stasis (freezing), wielding Excalibur, sensing.

**Christopher "Chris" Perry Halliwell**

**Age: **23

**Powers: **Orbing, telekinesis, sensing, teleorbing, telepathy.

**Melinda "Mel" Lynn Halliwell**

**Age: **17

**Powers:** (Mind powers). ex. Empathy, telepathy, channeling other's powers, force field generation.

**Preview of the first chapter "Life's Little Secrets"**

"_I can't live with this, it's not going right, I have to leave you." Mel said, her voice shaking with the evident wish that what she was saying wasn't being said at all._


	2. Episode List

**Yes, I've decided to make "Afterglow" in an episode format, a complete episode/summary list follows. As I finish up the first episode, I suspect this will hold you guys over; and as a forewarning, each episode will take awhile to complete and they aren't in script form.**

**Episode List for "Afterglow"**

**s01.ep001. **Life's Little Secrets

- _Series Premiere. Wyatt, Chris and Melinda Halliwell are the second generation of Charmed Ones. Living together in the infamous Halliwell Manor, the siblings get along, fight demons, and live life as best they can. But some secrets that they harbor from each other might be better left unsaid._

**s01.ep002. **Welcome to the Mouth of Hell

_- Veils between the Underworld and Earth are becoming thinner, allowing demons to get through at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, Mel begins to question what she wants out of life._

**s01.ep003. **Mommy (and Daddy) Demonist

- _When Piper and Leo come to visit, Chris notices that they seem to be acting strangely and Wyatt later finds Leo consorting with some demons._

**s01.ep004. **Roswell Much!

- _Adam doesn't show up for school, and then the next day starts glowing and talking about "those dudes who Adam-napped me and stuck me with weird lasery things."_

**s01.ep005. **Halliwell School of Witchcraft

- _Much to her dismay Mel is forced to go to Magic School to take some classes which will strengthen her potions ability._

**s01.ep006. **Yay for Us, Nay for They...

- _Part one of two._ _Wyatt, Chris and Mel are transported back to the 1700's._

**s01.ep007. **Yay for Us, Nay for They...

- _Conclusion. Wyatt, Chris and Mel are transported back to the 1700's._

**s01.ep008. **Child of the Light

- _An Elder tells Wyatt and Chris of a "half-human with supernatural gifts" who has to stop a demon named "Alcazar," and Mel thinks it's Van who thinks it's Mel._

**s01.ep009. **Broken Spell

- _A miscast spell comes back to bite Wyatt when it causes him to contract an extreme case of klutziness._

**s01.ep010. **Fever

- _Things in the Underworld begin to heat up when Van's father comes into play._

**s01.ep011. **Demon and a Movie?

- _During a movie with Van and Adam, something happens to all of the other viewers (with the exception of Mel and Van) which leads them to suspect a demon is involved._

**s01.ep012. **The Girls Call Me Christopher

- _After an argument Mel and Chris switch bodies. Meanwhile, Wyatt stakes out Van, trying to find out more about his sister's friend._

**s01.ep013. **Journey to the Future of the Past

- _Part one of two. Wyatt, Chris and Mel take a trip to the now-alternate future where Chris was trying to stop Wyatt from turning evil._

**s01.ep014. **Journey to the Future of the Past

- _Conclusion. Chris and Mel are captured by evil Wyatt, prompting Wyatt to save them._

**s01.ep015. **Stand Out

- _During a class a magic school, Mel begins to feel left out when everyone starts talking about their respective others._

**s01.ep016. **Calling Me

- _Chris receives a summons from the Elders, who inform him of Van's father. Meanwhile, Van and her father try to talk._

**s01.ep017. **Half-Breed

- _The other demons give Van's father an ultimatum, "get your daughter to kill the youngest Charmed One, or kill your daughter."_

**s01.ep018. **Color Me Demon

**- **_Wyatt finds out Van's little secret and confronts Mel about it._

**s01.ep019. **Left Unsaid

- _With her secret bearing down on her and her desire to tell the truth, Mel inadvertently casts a truth spell on herself._

**s01.ep020. **Breach

- _There's a breach in the Underworld, an incarcerated demon has broke out of his cell and up on Earth attacks anything that seems to threaten him._

**s01.ep021. **Afterglow

- _Part one of two. Everything leaves a trail to follow, and Chris decides to choose one, which provokes him to try to vanquish Van's father._

**s01.ep022. **Afterglow

- _Conclusion. In the season finale of "Afterglow," two of the Charmed Ones, will follow a trail, and the end holds many surprises._


	3. Life's Little Secrets

**And now, I present to you, the readers. The long awaited first episode of "Afterglow." **

****

**_Season 1, Episode 1 - Life's Little Secrets_**

"_Oh come on Matty, show me your tongue..."_

Mel sighed and shut off the TV in her bedroom, upon which she had been watching "13 Going on 30" for the past however-many minutes. Flopping back upon her queen-sized bed, she dropped the channel changer on the floor and reached her hand towards her phone which was on the nightstand.

After fumbling for it she finally grasped it and held it with her left-hand and dialed a number then brought it back up to her ear.

"_Hey Mel." _Wyatt answered.

"Yeah, about that. When are you going to get the hell home? I'm like really really bored."

"_Isn't Chris supposed to be there? And besides the fact, you're seventeen. Forget you can drive, and that you have a car?"_

"You know what? I'm feeling pretty stupid right about now."

"_I would too, now I'm going to have to let you go, I'm going into some Chinese place to pick up dinner."_

Mel said her goodbye then hung up the phone, then getting up off her bed and putting it in the charger she grabbed a pair of keys that were sitting on her dresser and left the room.

She checked her wavy blonde hair in the foyer mirror before heading out the front door. Locking it behind her she headed down the stone steps of the Manor and into her Storm Gray Saturn Vue.

Half an hour later she arrived at the nearby mall, grabbing her purse from the seat next to her, she got out of the car, locked it, stashed the keys in her purse and headed towards the entrance. Upon entering she headed towards the food court and looked around.

"Hey! Halliwell!" yelled a man's voice from a nearby table.

Mel smiled and went over to the table, the raven-haired man pulled over an extra chair and she sat down with him.

"So what're you doing here? I thought you had some sort of lonely chick-flick thing planned for this afternoon."

"I thought Adam Jennings would've known better by now. I get bored with chick flicks."

"True." Adam said, "You know I know better."

Mel laughed at her friend's blunder before looking up and noticing that someone was standing behind him. The wavy haired brunette arrival flashed a small smile at her before pulling up another chair.

"Hey didn't know you two were together." she said as she took her purse off her shoulder and placed it beside her feet as she sat down.

"Very funny Van." Mel said as she stole one of Adam's french fries.

"Just checking." Van replied as she picked a piece of string off her camouflage skirt then stole one of Adam's fries.

"The girls like to steal my fries. If I plastered myself in them, you think I'd be going too far?" Adam said as her handed the rest of his fries to Mel and Van.

"Uh huh." Van managed to get out through a mouth full of french fry.

"How far?"

"To the point where the conversation goes nowhere." Van said, smiling as she put her purse back on and got up, grabbing her two best friends' arms. "Come on, I wanna go see a movie," she said pulling them out of their chairs.

Mel made sure she had her purse and then allowed for herself to be pulled out of her chair then they made their way into the mall theater.

"Come on, gimme the popcorn! I paid for it!" Adam said, as he reached towards Van and Mel, attempting to grab the popcorn from in between them. It was half an hour into the movie and he hadn't even gotten any yet.

"You bought the popcorn, we eat it. That's life dear Adam." Van said as she popped one in her mouth.

Mel smiled at her and handed him the bag.

"Halliwell. You surrendered the corn." Van said with a view of mock horror on her face.

"Yeah," Mel replied lowering her voice, "we better keep it down before that woman down there reports us or something." Mel pointed to a middle aged woman who was staring at them with a look of distaste from a few rows down.

Van smiled at the woman, "Sorry lady. But Mel surrendered the corn."

The woman shook her head and turned back around.

"She just doesn't get it does she?" Van whispered after taking a sip of her soda.

"I guess not." Mel said smiling as she took Van's soda from her and took a sip.

Van looked at Mel, "Mine. _Hello!_" she said taking the soda back from her friends.

Mel stuck out her bottom lip, "But I'm thirsty."

"Fine then." Van said, giving in and handing the soda back.

"The bottom lip thing always works.." Mel replied.

An hour later, the friends parted ways at the mall exit and went home.

Pulling in the driveway of the Manor, Mel parked her car behind Wyatt's, locked it and went in the back door.

"Hey Wy! Where are you?" Mel yelled through the house.

"In the living room." Wyatt yelled back.

Mel made her way into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Wyatt, who had a container of Chinese food in his hand and a spoon in the other.

"M:I 3's on." He said gesturing towards the TV, upon which Tom Cruise fighting various villains could be seen.

"Nice." Mel said, grabbing a fork off the coffee table, and a container of General Tso's chicken along with it.

"So where were you? As your brother I have a right to know." Wyatt said smiling.

Mel poked around in the chicken with her fork and speared a piece on the fork, "At the movies with Adam and Van."

"Sounds fun." Wyatt replied as he ate some rice.

Mel nodded as she ate the chicken that had been on her fork.

After they were done eating Mel helped Wyatt put away the leftovers and clean up. They were in the kitchen when Chris walked in the back door hung his coat up and attempted to escape to the stairs.

"I'm just going to go upstairs, to my room. Right now, and I'm not telling you two anything." He said as he made his way out of the kitchen.

Mel looked at Wyatt and he nodded, "Um, no, you're not." She replied as she moved her hand in a small arc motion, her palm facing Chris. Magic was evident as he turned towards his siblings and stated blankly, "I was on a date, with Layna, my new girlfriend."

Chris then shook his head and returned back to his normal state, his eyed immediately focused upon Wyatt and Mel who were smiling widely.

"It sounds like a stripper name. _Layna_, I mean seriously. Come on Chris!" Wyatt joked as Chris sighed and sat down at the kitchen table, defeated.

Mel slid into a seat across from him, and Wyatt next to her.

"She's smart, and _definitely _not a stripper. She's studying forensic sciences at the University. We went to that restaurant,_ Magnifique._ She gave me her address tonight, phone number last week. I really like her."

"Well that's good. I mean, now I can take Allie and we can go on double dates and stuff." He said looking at his younger brother, "The Halliwell Boys, taking the female world by storm!"

Mel let out a fake laugh, "Don't do that again. You've got a sister, it's strange."

Chris turned to Mel, "Fully agree with you sis. Now if you two don't mind I'm going to bed. I have to wake up at six to go run over inventory at the club."

Wyatt looked at Chris as his little brother got up from the table, "Remind me again why you wanted P3. You didn't have to take it when mom offered it to you."

"I wanted it, it's been in the family for awhile now and it's a popular hang-out spot, good revenue. I couldn't possibly give that up, and I love it. Now leave me out of the questioning, I'm going to bed." Chris said before he went out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room.

Mel got up from the table afterwards, "I'm going too. I have homework to do in the morning if I want to graduate. See you," she said as she too left the room.

Wyatt sighed and went back to the living room, flopped back onto the couch again and continued to watch Mission Impossible 3.

Meanwhile Mel had gotten changed and was sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I need to tell you something. I can't..." she said to herself as she got up and put her hands through her hair, trying to think of things to say in the inevitable conversation she was going to have at school on Monday, only two days away, and she needed to figure it out now. She made up her mind, she already felt scared, and sad about what she was going to do.

Suddenly, the sound of a demon shimmering in could be heard from the corner of the room. Mel turned towards the sound.

"I can't live with this, it's not going right, I have to leave you." Mel said to the source of the sound, her voice shaking with the evident wish that what she was saying wasn't being said at all. Then she sat down on her bed, and tears came to her eyes. Lazily she lifted her hand up and waved it in an arc motion, her palm towards her closed bedroom door, so that no one could hear what was happening.

"Why are you doing this? We've kept it a secret this long, Halliwell. It never seemed to bother you before, not to mention earlier." Said Van's voice as she stepped out of the corner and sat next to Mel.

Mel looked at Van, "They were talking, about their girlfriends. I can't even tell them about mine, not to mention the fact that you're half-demon."

"That's my father's fault Mel. We can get past that, they won't mind. You told me your Aunt Phoebe married a demon once."

"That was different. He was a guy. It's not easy for me to keep this from everyone when everyone around me, at school, and at home is talking about their love life. I have to pretend like I don't have anybody, when I have you." Mel said, more tears came to her eyes.

Van looked at Mel, with compassion and put her hand on Mel's, "It's not any easier for me. It's bad enough my mother is weary of me being part demon. We can get through this together, I know we can." She finished as she took a tissue off the nightstand and wiped Mel's tears.

"You don't hate me, for wanting to break-up do you?"

"Not at all." Van replied as she finished wiping her lover's tears, then tossing the tissue into the trash.

"I love you." Mel said as she looked into Van's eyes.

Van just smiled; then they leaned in towards each other, Van placing her right hand on Mel's cheek, Mel placing hers on the small of Van's back, and kissed.


	4. Teaser: Welcome to the Mouth of Hell

**I decided to post a "teaser trailer" while I finish up the second episode. Sorry it's taking so long for me to update; well update EVERYTHING it's just that I've been super busy with schooling and the such that I haven't had time to write anything. If luck goes my way the second episode should be up in about three days. Oh yeah, and italics are the announcer... I wanted to be fancy. The rulers (lines) are cuts between scenes to show that they aren't all in the same scene.**

**So without futher ado; The Official Teaser Trailer; Afterglow; Season One, Episode Two: Welcome to the Mouth of Hell.**

A large swirling blue portal opened up at the end of an alleyway, causing a man who was throwing his trash into the dumpster to drop the bag on the ground. The trash bag burst open upon hitting the ground, but that wasn't what worried him, it was the fact that a man just stepped out of the portal.

* * *

_A new enemy._

The "portal-man" suddenly transformed, his skin turned from a normal tone to a sharp green, and spikes jutted out of his face as the innocent man watched in shock. "Portal-man" then tied his long black hair back and looked towards the portal.

"I sense no witches in the vicinity." He spoke in a strong demonic tone.

Another Caucasian man with blonde spiked hair stepped out, followed by an African-American with tied-back dreadlocks, then a Caucasian man with short jet-black hair, and then the last, a bald African-American man who looked at the first "portal-man."

"Fier, how did you know we would be able to come back? We were vanquished."

* * *

Fier then turned back into his human form and transformed his own outfit into black jeans, a black t-shirt and a leather duster. "We will try to blend in. Then until the time is correct we will strike. Nobody will ever stop The Five again!"

* * *

_A new surprise._

"Halliwell! Wait up!" Came the voice of Adam as Mel stepped out of her car.

Mel smiled at his approaching form, "What's up?"

"Okay, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to say this. Or how long I've been trying not to say this; but will you go out with me? I mean if you say no, it's all good, I'd understand since we're friends and all."

Without hesitation Mel stood farther up on her toes and kissed her friend's lips. "Of course I'll go out with you." She answered as she drew back.

_Afterglow. Welcome to the Mouth of Hell. Only on the TSS Network. "She Knows Drama."_

**You know, "TNT - We Know Drama" laughs at her own play on words**


	5. Welcome to the Mouth of Hell

A large swirling blue portal opened up at the end of an alleyway, causing a man who was throwing his trash into the dumpster to drop the bag on the ground. The trash bag burst open upon hitting the ground, but that wasn't what worried him, it was the fact that a man just stepped out of the portal.

_Wait, why am I not freaked about the portal? But only about a person coming out of it?_

He debated that in his head while he stood stock-still in the shadows, watching as the tall, well-muscled Caucasian titled his head to the air. The "portal-man" suddenly transformed, his skin turned from a normal tone to a sharp green, and spikes jutted out of his face as the innocent man watched in shock. "Portal-man" then tied his long black hair back and looked towards the portal.

"I sense no witches in the vicinity." He spoke in a strong demonic tone.

Another Caucasian man with blonde spiked hair stepped out, followed by an African-American with tied-back dreadlocks, then a Caucasian man with short jet-black hair, and then the last, a bald African-American man who looked at the first "portal-man."

"Fier, how did you know we would be able to come back? We were vanquished."

Fier turned to his addresser, "The veil had been getting thinner between the planes for months now Jly, and nothing was going to stop The Five from coming back." He smiled evilly and turned back to his human form then waved his hand in front of his Jly and the rest of The Five, transforming their demonic outfits into human ones. The blonde haired man smirked at his green novelty tee and the man with dreadlocks looked dumbfounded at his football jersey.

"What have you transformed my clothes into? There are small holes in this shirt, and who is this "Dawkins," who it so clearly states and why is there a falcon on it? There's also no room for my sword."

"Kalen, it's called football. American men seem to love it, and one of my female companions said something about 'targeting that Dawkins guy from Philly.' So I looked it up. Philly is a city in a state called Pennsylvania, it's short for Philadelphia. And the bird is not a falcon, it's an Eagle, and you won't need your sword. At least not yet."

Kalen studied the white t-shirt he was wearing underneath the black away jersey, while Fier looked at his group.

"These outfits will help us blend in, I've given you all outfits that correspond with my studies. Pol," he said looking to the blonde man, "I found that men with your body-type and facial structure are usually adorned in loose 't-shirts' and jeans. Kalen I noticed that some popular football players have your hair and I chose jeans for you as well." He turned towards the black-haired man, "Raj, I gave you those things mortals use to correct vision; glasses, and a striped business shirt with slacks because you have a professional air to your features." He turned to Jly, "I chose a leather jacket, and collared button up for you, because I saw some mortal on a movie poster who looked similar to you, and he was wearing nearly the same thing."

Fier then turned back into his human form and transformed his own outfit into black jeans, a black t-shirt and a leather duster. "We will try to blend in. Then until the time is correct we will strike. Nobody will ever stop The Five again!"

Pol, Kalen, Raj and Jly all smiled and followed their leader out of the alleyway.

Mel, her face buried in her pillow, groped for the alarm clock on her bedside table; but before she could get a handle on the "snooze button" it turned off on it's own followed by someone pulling the pillow out from under her head. She groaned from being just woken, turned her head around and opened her eyes to see Chris smiling down at her.

"Let me go back to sleep, I'll give you fifty cents." She said, grabbing the pillow back from him and putting it back behind her head.

"You have to go to school, I don't want truancy officers pounding at our door."

Mel smiled, "Out of my love for you as my brother I will wake up; and also considering that I just realized I have to turn in a stupid five page essay on 'the wonders of the human mind' for my honors psych class."

Chris smiled and turned to leave his sister's room, Mel following close behind shut the door after he left. Then she sighed and opened her closet, pulling out a lilac boho tanktop and a pair of tight capri jeans, got dressed and made her way downstairs. Wyatt smiled at her when she entered the kitchen.

"Look who decided to get up."

Mel flashed a fake smile, "I love you dearly, but shove it. Not in the mood."

"Ooh, someone's cranky!" Chris added.

Mel smiled, then turned around and grabbed a pop tart out of an awaiting box, then grabbed a black messenger bag that was sitting beside the back door.

"Leaving. Bye!" She replied as she left out the back door, then got into her car, started the engine and drove to school.

"Halliwell! Wait up!" Came the voice of Adam as Mel stepped out of her car.

Mel smiled at his approaching form, "What's up?"

"Okay, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to say this. Or how long I've been trying not to say this; but will you go out with me? I mean if you say no, it's all good, I'd understand since we're friends and all."

Without hesitation Mel stood farther up on her toes and kissed her friend's lips. "Of course I'll go out with you." She answered as she drew back.

Adam grinned, "Wasn't expecting that. But since we're together as of like a minute ago, I'll carry your bag to homeroom if you'd like."

"If you don't mind. It's sort of heavy." Mel replied thankfully as she handed the said object over to Adam. As soon as he got a hold of it he put it on his shoulder and smiled as Mel grabbed his hand.

They then headed off towards homeroom, unaware that Van had just been watching them from the cover of a nearby car.

"Mr. Jennings! Miss Halliwell! Class started two minutes ago, you can stop talking." Mr. Lutherford, the seventh period Lit. teacher commanded; looking straight towards Adam and Mel who were still talking, semi-unaware of the fact that the rest of the class was generally quiet around them.

"Sorry Mr. L, I'll try not to do it again." Mel said as Adam offered his own 'Sorry.'

"Thanks, Now I -" Mr. L seemed to have been cut off by a muffled voice; he turned to look at Van. "Miss Radoniwicz, have something to say?"

"I was just going to say that you shouldn't trust her." She replied, selfishly.

Mel looked up two seats, "You said what?!"

"You heard me." Van said, turning around with a trace of hidden hurt in her eyes.

"Mr. L, I have the credits for this class already am I wrong?" Mel said, then switching her gaze to the teacher.

"Yes, but I thought you wanted to earn extra..." He replied double-checking his roster book.

Mel got up from her seat, slinging her bag over her shoulder and headed towards Van's.

"And so does Van?"

"Yes, Miss Radoniwicz just completed her last about a day ago."

Mel grabbed Van's arm and pulled her up and out of the desk. "Well then I'm guessing you won't mind if I leave and take her with me, we need to talk."

"No. I guess not." Mr. L offered, slightly confused.

Mel smiled and took Van out of the classroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Halliwell, you know what I saw!" Van voiced awfully loud as soon as she was out of the classroom.

The students in the classroom immediately looked towards the closed door, curious to see or hear what was going on.

"Just be quiet. They can still hear us." Mel said through gritted teeth as she walked towards, then out of the front door of the high school. Van followed behind and soon as they got outside and to Mel's car she piped up again.

"I saw you in the parking lot earlier. What the hell were you doing? You effin' kissed me last night, passionately might I add, and now you kiss _him_. I want to know what's up with you!"

"Everything's up with me! I know what I did, last night and this morning, but you have to realize that it's not as easy as it seems to you. Your mom could care less, she's just glad you aren't 'swayed by the evil side' and shit like that! Now my parents, I only get to see them; let's say twice, most likely once a month. How do you think they'd feel if they came to visit and heard a "Hey Mom, Dad, I'm in a secret lesbian relationship with a demon!"

"I'm half human too." Van said, hoping to calm down Mel's semi-rage.

"You just, you don't get it. Nothing's ever easy for me, - not to mention if the Underworld found out that the daughter of one of their own was making out with girls, nonetheless a Charmed One; you'd be in deep hell too."

"I don't understand what you mean. I thought we discussed this, I thought you realized the risks. I thought we were willing to take them."

"I'm not sure if I am now. We should just try to see other people; plus Adam asked me out, we can't let him know. I had to."

"No you didn't."

Mel ignored Van's comment and got into her car, Van got into the passenger seat.

"I never said you could get in." Mel said without unfocusing from her task of starting the car.

"You never said I couldn't." Van replied, shutting the door. "I get where you're coming from, I just don't understand why I had to find out like this. I know it's easier for me, my mom doesn't exactly care; it's either that or she forgot that I ever came out to her." Van smiled, "I think it's the second one, combined with the first one. But if you want to try this whole 'date remission' thing I'll do it for you."

"I still want to be friends though."

"I can do that. I don't what I'd do without, non-sexual way of course. I really don't think I could live without realizing that I'm a half-demon who's friends with a witch, because seriously; it's a joy ride everyday wondering if my daddy's gonna find out and kill me."

Mel laughed.

"See, I gotta kick out of the solemn one. Now I'd ask you for a ride home, but I just remembered I drove here myself. So, can you _please _tap into the area, see if anyone's coming so I can get out of here and to my own car."

Mel sighed. "Are you serious?"

"No. I'm not. Yes, I'm serious!"

"Fine. Hold on." Mel focused on the parking lot and surrounding area, trying to sense if anyone was coming, or already there. "Nothing. Shimmer away."

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow, maybe tonight for a movie with Adam or something?"

"Honestly I pictured you to handle this a lot worse, and I thought that you would be wary of going out with Adam and me now that we're a couple."

"You guys have been my friends since Kindergarten, now if you think I'd break that up you have to be kidding me."

"I figured, now go before anyone _does_ come."

Van shimmered out, reappearing in her own car about seven spaces down.

"I hope this all works out." She said to herself before starting up her car and leaving the lot after Mel.

Meanwhile in a small abandoned, but still good-conditioned warehouse, Raj was standing over a silver bowl filled with goat's blood, which was showing an image on the surface; dark scrying. The image was of Mel pulling out of the parking lot of the school.

"Fier! Come quick, I got a catch on one of them!"

Fier came out of a back room and stood beside his vassal. "What is this?"

"The youngest Charmed One my liege. The only female, I've been studying some movies about teenagers and young people. It seems that the girls go for guys such as Pol or Kalen. But seeing as Kalen's not very good at undercover work, I was figuring that Pol could get the girl to like him, possibly do something and gain her trust."

Fier nodded.

"It would bring us closer to what we're seeking. We could get directly inside to the Charmed Ones, take them down."

"They are the most powerful witches. Who's to say this isn't a death wish or something of the sort."

"You know what we're all capable of Master. We've defeated some of the best witches of the past before the former sixth member of the then Six, was stupid enough to go fall in love with one. I don't understand how demon blood can mix with that filth, it disgusts me."

"Me too. Now we'll send Pol in, meanwhile shut that thing off for a bit and get in here, we're cleaning and sharpening the weapons and we can tell Pol while we're there." Fier then headed back into the room he had came out of earlier, followed close behind by Raj who shut the door behind them both with a loud metallic clang.

"Hey! Wyatt, Chris, I'm home!" Mel echoed somewhat loudly throughout the Halliwell Manor.

Chris poked his head out from the top of the stairs. "Hey, you know I could use a little..."

He was then cut off by someone pulling him back out of view.

Mel dropped her bag and ran upstairs to see Chris struggling, but still holding his own against a demon that was a good eight inches taller than him; and more muscular as well.

"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing to my brother?"

"Ah, had to get the little sister to come and save you, come on now man, or are you?" The demon said looking at Chris.

"Ah, the corny comeback, it really makes me want to shove an athame up your fu..." Chris offered before Mel cut him off.

"Come on now Chris! Get the hell out of the way!" Mel shouted.

Chris got the message and moved a bit away from the demon.

The demon smiled evilly and conjured up a fireball and launched it at Mel, she caught it in her right hand and then threw it right back at him.

The fireball hit the demon and he staggered at bit, clearly somewhat affected. "You're gonna have to do better than that bitch." He said with another grin.

"Don't worry." Mel conjured up a fireball in her hand and smiled right back at him. "I will."

"Mimicker!" The demon managed to get out before the second fire ball hit him - and playing off the damage from the first one - vanquished him.

Mel then went over to Chris and channeled his own healing powers as she held her hand over a gash that he had received on the left side of his abdomen.

"Thanks. You know, sometimes I wish I was you, and had your powers." Chris said as his wound healed up.

"There are many things that you don't know; and from that, I really don't know if you'd want to be me."

Chris raised an eyebrow, "Is that supposed to be some cryptic way to say, 'no you don't.'"

"That didn't come out right did it?" She replied with a smile.

"No. It didn't. But that's besides the point, I want to show you something." Chris said anxiously, gesturing for Mel to follow him into his nearby bedroom which she did. He then headed to his desk and opened up the top drawer and pulled out a small velvet box, he then opened it revealing a beautiful blue sapphire pendant. "It's for Layna, think she'll like it?"

Mel smiled somewhat uneasily, her hand playing with a woven green beaded bracelet on her wrist. "Yeah."

Chris looked at his sister, concern in his eyes. "What's wrong? You seem out of it."

Mel wrote it off, "I'm just happy you've found someone, but honestly it's hard to believe." She smiled jokingly.

Chris shut the box and put it back in his desk. "Love is something that takes time, you don't know when you'll find it. Heck, I don't even know if Layna's my true-love or not. But get this one thing straight Mel, _it's not easy_, especially for the three of us who live in this house. I'm somewhat living proof of that, two girlfriends in one year." He smiled, "But I can't help it if I'm a ladies man."

Mel laughed and grabbed his shoulder. "Right you are brother. At least in an alternate universe." She then turned and left the room to go to her own.

As soon as she arrived in her room she flopped down onto the bed, then pulled out her cell phone and texted Adam. Knowing he was still in class due to his lack of credits she made the message short.

"_U still on 4 2nite?"_

She waited for about a minute before her phone vibrated, she flipped it back open.

"_Yea. Movie mall, right?"_

Mel's fingers moved quickly on the keypad.

"_Van wnts 2 come. Tht ok?"_

She waited anxiously for the response.

"_Sure. Y not? CU ltr. Mr. L's getin suspic."_

Mel closed her phone and placed it on her nightstand. Then, after reaching and getting a hold on her TV remote she turned the TV on and to a channel that seemed to be showing old reruns of the ever cult-classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She watched it for about forty-five minutes before getting up and finding Wyatt sitting in the kitchen reading the newspaper.

"I just got home. Chris told me there was a demon in the house that you vanquished." Wyatt said, lowering his paper to look at his sister.

"He seemed angry. 'Mimicker' I believe he said." Mel replied, getting a bottle of Mountain Dew out of the fridge, opening and taking a sip.

"I'm assuming you tapped into his powers?"

"Fireballs. They're always fun." Mel replied with a grin.

"Your powers are rare, coveted. It makes you practically unstoppable."

"You're the Twice Blessed Wy, or did you forget that?"

Wyatt grinned, "Okay, not as unstoppable as me."

"Wasn't where I was planning to get at. Do you know why he was here? Demons don't usually attack us at the Manor unless they're part of some bigger plan."

Wyatt put the paper down, and started towards the stairs, Mel followed him and they soon thereafter entered the attic and were standing behind the Book of Shadows. "What did he look like? Maybe we can identify him, see if he's part of some demonic cult."

Mel flipped through the pages and stopped at one in particular, "Found him. He was dressed in an Eagles jersey, but his name is Kalen. He's part of The Five. I thought we vanquished them already though, didn't we?"

Wyatt moved over to look at the picture. "We did. I remember that," He pointed to Jly, "he tried to throw and athame at me. Obviously didn't know I could freeze things. I don't know how they could be back. We definitely vanquished them over two months ago."

"Maybe we should call Chris, he's the information expert."

"Good point." Wyatt replied. "CHRIS!"

A few moments later Chris orbed into the attic. "I was in the middle of lunch with Layna. Make this quick, I told her I was going to the bathroom."

"The Five's back. We don't know how." Mel replied.

Chris looked at them with surprise, "You sure?"

"Deadly. Wyatt and I came upstairs to look up that demon who attacked you, cause usually they don't attack us at the Manor unless they're part of some bigger plan." Mel paused. "It turned out to be a member of The Five. Kalen to be exact."

"The only thing I can think of is the veil between us and the Wasteland. It must be weakening, which is definitely not good."

"Figured that already." Wyatt added. "We need to fix it then, and fast, before any other demons we vanquished come back for revenge."

"I'll go tell Layna I got a phone call from someone at P3. I'll be back as soon as possible." Chris said, orbing out.

"What time is it?" Mel asked turning to Wyatt.

"3:50." He said as he looked at his watch. "You're not planning on leaving are you? We need you here in case they come back or we have to fix the veil."

"I have to. I promised Adam I'd meet him at the mall to go see a movie. It's our first as a couple. Plus Van's going too. I can't leave them suspicious." She pleaded.

Wyatt thought for a minute. "Go. I'll come and get you if we need you for anything."

Mel gave him a thanking hug before turning to leave. "Thanks." She replied with a smile before descending down the attic stairs.

Twenty five minutes later she arrived at the San Francisco Mall Movie Complex and saw Adam sitting on a bench waiting for her. He smiled and waved as soon as she made eye contact.

"How long have you been here?" She asked as she went over to sit beside him.

"About five minutes." Adam replied kissing her cheek.

Mel kissed his lips in return. "Van get here yet?"

"I dunno." He replied, looking around. "Haven't seen her. Then again she's always usually late."

Suddenly a "Yes!" of accomplishment could be heard from the game room next to where the new couple was sitting. They got up to investigate and saw Van sitting at a racing simulator, next to a thirteen year old at the neighboring one.

"It helps to actually have a license kid. Pay up." She said, holding out her hand towards him. He pulled a wadded up ten dollar bill out of his jeans then got up and walked out. Van got up and turned to leave as well when she saw her friends.

"You just pilfered money out of a thirteen year old kid." Mel said raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"So what? He's the one who bet. Said a girl would never beat him." She tucked the money into her purse. "He was so wrong."

Adam suppressed a laugh. "Sounds like something you would do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Van replied.

"I mean.." Adam started looking for a better choice of words.

"I know." Van said with a laugh. "Now come on. I guess we're seeing Mission Impossible: SG?"

"I don't know why they even wasted money on it. The son taking over? The franchise died out after the third one when we weren't even born." Mel stated.

"Franchise. They know people will continue to watch it. Even if it sucks." Adam replied, leading them to the ticket booth. He then bought all three of them tickets then they moved onto the snack bar.

After purchasing one soda each and a large bag of popcorn they made their way into the theater. The movie started almost at the exact time they chose their seats in the row nearest to the top.

About an hour and thirty minutes into the movie the son jumped out of a flaming building, landing in a roll he got up safely and managed to extinguish his flaming clothing at the same time. Then running away from the building he got far away enough, so when the building exploded he only caught enough of it to knock him down.

Van laughed slightly, "Covering that distance in that amount of time? In real life that would never happen. The bomb only had fifteen seconds left on it when he jumped."

The man in front of them turned around, "This is the fourth time I've asked. Can you please just be quiet, you're distracting me from the movie." He said quietly to Van.

"Maybe if you didn't chew your popcorn so loudly, it would help with the distraction to others besides yourself." Van retorted in the same quiet tone.

The man gave her a somewhat dirty look before turning back around to watch the movie.

After the movie let out it was almost eight o' clock and Adam and Van had to leave to go work on essays that they didn't do. Mel made her way to the food court to grab a quick bite to eat, knowing that Wyatt couldn't cook and that Chris would be too obsessed with fixing the veil to actually make a meal. As she waited in line for some Chinese food she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"You're Melinda Halliwell aren't you?" The attractive blonde man asked.

"Yeah." Mel replied, somewhat uneasily as she didn't recognize the man.

"Paul Sanders. I'm in your psych class. Third period." He offered with a charming smile.

Mel smiled. "Hey. Didn't recognize you without the baseball cap on."

He smiled. "Usually have bad hair days. But tonight it's all good." He ruffled up his hair with his hand. "I gelled it some."

Mel laughed. "I'm next in line. How about we sit together? Unless you're here with someone."

Paul looked behind himself at an aging woman with gray hair. "Unless it's her." He said quietly leaning towards Mel's ear. "Then no."

She laughed as she turned around and placed her order. Once they both received their orders they sat down at a table together as Mel suggested.

"So what are you doing here if you're not with someone?" She asked.

"Just looking around, according to my mom I need new jeans." Paul replied, then taking a bite of his orange chicken.

Mel glanced at them from underneath the table. "They seems fine to me."

"According to her, they have to 'fit on my waist.'" He laughed. "Isn't that weird?"

Mel nodded.

Five minutes later they finished their meals and started to walk outside. Paul walked Mel to her car. She started to open her driver's side door as 'Paul' held his hand behind his back and conjured up an athame. She whipped around and disarmed him, then grabbing him by his shirt collar. She held the athame up to his neck and switched positions with him so no one would see her do so.

"I knew you weren't Paul dumbass. Now who the hell are you?" She asked, assuming 'witch mode.' "Don't even think about shimmering out. It won't do you any good. I already blocked you from doing so."

Pol attempted to try what Mel told him not to do, it didn't work. "Don't you remember me witch? Or maybe you remember my former idiot of a colleague who you vanquished earlier?"

"Remember him." She said, holding the athame closer to his neck. "So you're one of The Five I'm assuming?"

"In the reborn flesh." He replied, "If you were smart you'd let me go. The other three will come including our leader if you don't, and you can't beat Fier and them alone."

"Wasn't planning on being alone." Mel answered smartly as she plunged the athame into Pol's stomach. He gasped in pain then exploded into flames. "Wyatt! Chris!" She called loudly.

Her brothers orbed in next to her under the cover of nearby cars.

"What just happened? Why do you have an athame?" Chris asked, worried.

"No time for that now. I just vanquished one of The Five, he thought he could trick me by pretending to be someone from my psych class." Mel answered as Raj, Jly and Fier shimmered in front of them in the lane of the parking lot.

"Kalen was a fool. Pol was one of our best though. You can't expect us to let that go now can you witches?" Raj said with a sneer.

"Eh. I dunno. Maybe you can?" Chris replied teleorbing the athame that Mel was holding into his hands, then at Raj. The athame embedded itself into his stomach and he burst into flames just as Pol did moments before.

Wyatt smiled smartly. "Looks like you just did." He said to the pile of ash that used to be Raj.

"You got Raj. But you won't get away with anything else Charmed Ones." Jly said, throwing a punch at Wyatt who caught it at just the right time and flipped him onto the ground.

"You two. Go get Fier. I'll handle this one!" Wyatt commanded Chris and Mel as he parried more of Jly's attempted blows.

Chris nodded and he and Mel jogged off, finding Fier just finishing off a mortal with a fireball. "So you caught me." He said with a sneer as a light yellow flow of energy was absorbed up through his outstretched hand from the man he had just killed. He turned towards the two youngest Charmed Ones. "Come and get me." He teased, morphing into his demon form; the spikes protruding from his face and his skin turning green.

Meanwhile, Wyatt had just landed a sharp kick to Jly's solar plexus which forced the demon to fall backwards, buying him some time.

"EXCALIBUR!" Wyatt called, the famous sword appearing in his hands in a flash of light. Jly got up and conjured up his own sword in a puff of black smoke. Jly made the first move, swinging his sword at Wyatt's abdomen, forcing the twice-blessed to contort his body in order to block it. "I'm not supposed to bend like that." He countered as he forced Jly's sword back at him. Wyatt then took the opportunity of backlash from the forceback and swung Excalibur at Jly's neck. He exploded, vanquished in a pile of ash, consequently Wyatt sent Excalibur back in another flash of light.

Then looking around to make sure no one was coming or could see him he orbed out to his siblings.

As he reappeared he saw Mel and Chris get thrown backwards. He stuck out his hands and helped them up. "You guys okay?"

"Somewhat." Mel answered, looking at a large gash on her bicep that was producing too much blood for comfort. She then looked over at Chris who was holding his forearm.

"I think it's broken from the fall we just took." He said quickly. "You ready Wy?"

"Whenever you are." The oldest replied, grabbing his sibling's hands.

"_Demon here, that should not be._

_Vanquish him with the Power of Three."_

Fier yelled as his skin emitted an orange glow, exposing his skull from the inside.

"That's not right." Mel commented as he exploded.

Wyatt smiled and healed the cut on her arm, then Chris's broken one.

Chris then looked at him and Mel. "We still have to fix the veil before anymore come out. Let's go." He said, grabbing their hands and orbing out.

An hour later Wyatt and Mel were sitting on the couch in the living room, watching TV. "Come on! The movie's about to start. How long does it take to make popcorn anyway?" Wyatt yelled into the kitchen as Chris came into the room with a bowl full of it.

"Three minutes. You're just impatient." Chris replied as Wyatt snatched the bowl and he and Mel dug their hands into it. "So we fixed the veil. No more vanquished demons coming through anytime soon."

"Yeah. Now ssh, it's starting." Mel replied handing Chris the bowl of popcorn.

Chris threw some popcorn at her then settled down and watched the movie.


End file.
